How to Talk to Children About COVID-19

Currently, reports of COVID-19 have saturated all forms of media. From social media to news sources on websites and television, the coverage of the pandemic evolves as the days progress.

The impacts of the current situation have led to school and childcare closures, quarantines, and bare shelves in grocery stores. For children, this can be overwhelming and difficult to understand. Below are some suggestions on how to support and talk to your children about this coronavirus.

Be reassuring, patient, and relaxed.

• Young children and adolescents may not fully understand the current situation, which can cause anxiety, fear, confusion, or frustration. Providing comfort and assurance, as well as being available to your children during this tumultuous time is vital.
• Children may have questions regarding COVID-19. Allow them to ask these questions. Their concerns may relate to school closures, symptoms of the virus, changes to their daily routine, or things they see or hear from their friends or the media. Having an open discussion about this everchanging situation may ease your children’s concerns; however, it is also important to allow them to set their own pace in these discussions and not feel any pressure to talk if they do not want to.
• Your actions and words about COVID-19 can also have a major effect on your children. So, it’s essential to be a positive model for them. Give them honest factual/ medical information.

• What your children see in the news and on social media can also be a factor in how they handle the pandemic. Limiting your children’s exposure to some news sources and social media outlets might be helpful in alleviating any stress your children may be feeling.

Develop a new routine. 

• During this pandemic, many children around the world are home due to the closures of child care providers and schools. This disruption can throw a normal routine into disarray. Establishing and maintaining a schedule while at home can help keep your children occupied during this stressful event.
• We must all do our part and follow CDC as well as Local, State, and Federal guidance. Be sure establish rules with your child to maintain their own safety and the safety of others. Prepare them and explain that these rules may loosen or tighten in the future and that we all need to be flexible and patient to help each other.
• Put a focus on cleanliness and hygiene around your home with activities or chores. Emphasize washing their hands thoroughly, cleaning commonly touched areas or surfaces (like doorknobs or appliances), and covering their coughs and sneezes. These small steps may help them understand the effects of COVID-19 and how it relates to themselves, their family, and people across the world.